The main reason for the skyrocketing debt in the U.S; which is over $1.2 trillion, is the rising cost of college, especially the private institutions. Student debt will always be a problem, but the problem can be lessened if more students attend public institutions vs. private.

Higher Education institutions are the reason for the U.S student loan debt. If these institutions lower their costs, most students will attend, bringing them in in money, and the loan problem will lessen.

U.S News agrees that the type of college you attend has little to do with success.

The above article touches on success rates, and how they don’t relate to the type of institution one attends.

A private education is not necessarily a leg up. Graduates of all types of four-year institutions have the same experience in there professional fields, and say it relates back to the connections they made at their respective undergraduate institutions.

The above post, written in the Wall Street Journal, mentions a survey done that concludes “Elite Colleges Dont Buy Happiness”

What this means, is that attending the fancy, ivy-league private institutions does not mean you will have a better quality of life.

The article states

“The poll didn’t measure graduates’ earnings. Rather, it was rooted in 30 years of Gallup research that shows that people who feel happy and engaged in their jobs are the most productive. That relatively small group at the top didn’t disproportionately attend the prestigious schools that Americans have long believed provided a golden ticket to success. Instead, they forged meaningful connections with professors or mentors, and made significant investments in long-term academic projects and extracurricular activities.”

Students at the top did not necessarily attend private highly regarded institutions, they made the most of their time at their respective institutions, connecting with professors and joining clubs/activities.

These connections create the path you take after graduation, not the price or reputation of your institution.

The above link connects to a blog speaking more on the value of higher education and what exactly students need to do do “better gauge value”.

One point in particular notes ” How much does college cost and how do students pay? How many — and which — students complete their degrees? And what do graduates experience after college in the workplace and society? These may seem like easy questions to which we should already have the answers, but the truth is this information is not readily available.”

It is so important to verify with any institution, especially private schools, what their graduation rates and retention rates are.

Two things to note, if graduation and retention rates are low, there is a reason. Students are not happy and are leaving, or are not succeeding and are not graduating. This speaks to how well the institution caters to the students, and what they really offer.

This is a great blog to check out, and the points that the post makes are very crucial.

If you visit the state university’s across Massachusetts and surrounding states, you will notice a common theme, renovations. Each state-university in Massachusetts has invested millions and millions into campus improvements over the last 5 years.

Across the state, dozens of new residence halls have been added, multiple new science centers, campus centers, recreation centers and academic buildings have been added or totally renovated and improved.

These campuses are being totally redesigned and upgraded to meet the needs and desires of students, all while keeping the cost of attendance significantly lower than those of private institutions.

The construction rates at private institutions, however, are significantly lower, and the cost of attendance steadily rising.

Prospective students need to make sure that they are comparing campuses before selecting one. You will notice public schools are putting students tuition money back into the institution, where as with private institution it seems to remain unclear.